Strikes loom over shipbuilders

[THE INVESTOR] South Korea’s top three shipbuilders’ troubles are set to deepen with their unions gearing up for strikes.

Samsung Heavy Industries labor organization was on July joined by the union of Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering on the stage for strikes. Samsung Heavy’s labor organization is set to stage a 4-hour strike on July 7 from 1 p.m. 

As for DSME, its union approved the plans to strike with 88.3 percent support on July 6. DSME’s union had approved strike plans in June. However, the vote was thrown about by the regional labor office, which judged that opposing the company’s restructuring plans was not sufficient grounds for a strike.

In the July 6 vote, the reason for striking was cited as the management’s insincere attitude in labor-management negotiations.

The union of Hyundai Heavy Industries, the last of the big three shipbuilders, is behind Samsung Heavy and DSME in approving a strike, but its union is reported to be planning stronger actions.

Hyundai Heavy’s union, for whom a vote is the last remaining step before strikes can be staged, is reported to be working on an alliance with the union of Hyundai Motor to stage an all-out strike later this month.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)